Buzzed on BBQ

After a recent trip to Annapolis, MD., my wife and I decided to swing through Richmond on our way home. We haven’t spent much time in Richmond, but it’s a fun place to visit and you can almost always find something exciting to do. This past trip was no different.

We were passing through on a Sunday afternoon and there happened to be a major art event near the downtown area. Many different artists in the city were painting exhibits on a collection of old warehouses. It was an awesome idea and use of public space for a creative purpose that seemed to really bring the community together. As an added bonus, there were also a bunch of food trucks out for people to grab something to eat while they strolled through the art exhibits.

I passed on the food trucks because I was really craving some good BBQ. And I happened to be in luck because Richmond is home to one of the most highly-regarded BBQ restaurants in the country.

Buz & Ned’s Real Barbecue has been featured on numerous occasions for its food. It was on Throwdown with Bobby Flay for a spare rib competition and Adam Richman once stopped by for an episode of Best Thing I Ever Ate. It’s also been mentioned in various magazines and newspaper articles for serving delicious BBQ.

The atmosphere is fantastic. It’s located in a rather interesting part of town on North Boulevard near Carytown, but you can’t miss it when driving down the road. Instead of a sign, Buz & Ned’s uses a giant billboard above the roof of the restaurant. It’s hilarious and awesome. To make it even better, the front patio seating is at long wooden tables and benches under a massive tent. When you walk in, there’s a small counter where you place your order and then some indoor seating. With it being such a beautiful afternoon, we took advantage of the opportunity to sit outside.

There were many things on the menu that looked great. I’d read about the ribs and considered the brisket, but ultimately decided on the pulled pork sandwich. I probably should have ordered the ribs as that’s what Buz & Ned’s is known for, but there’s not an expense account at From Ballparks to BBQ. If you’re interested in changing that, please consider making a generous donation to my bank account! Thanks!

To go along with my pulled pork sandwich, I also got sides of coleslaw, sweet potato fries with cinnamon & sugar, and mac-and-cheese.

The pulled pork sandwich had a tomato-style sauce and a great smoky flavor. The coleslaw featured large chunks of cabbage, but there wasn’t much of it on the sandwich so you got plenty of flavor from the pulled pork. It was very juicy from the meat as well as the sauce, but the bread kept everything from falling apart. It was a great satisfaction for my BBQ craving.As much as I liked the pulled pork, I was an even bigger fan of the sides. The idea to put cinnamon & sugar on sweet potato fries was a nice touch and the potatoes were fresh and crispy. Nicole sprinkled some salt on top of them to make a salty-sweet combo that made it even better.

Along with the fries, Buz & Ned’s serves some delicious mac-and-cheese. I was a bit of a weird kid in that I didn’t grow up eating macaroni & cheese. It was rarely served in our house and I didn’t like any of the mixes that come in a box. Eventually, my mom started making it in a crock pot and I instantly became a mac-and-cheese snob. I prefer it to have a baked consistency that’s more on the dry side and the cheese begins to crust around the pasta. Many places serve a more liquid version and I have no interest in that garbage. Buz & Ned’s makes theirs just like how my mom makes. I have no idea if they use a crock-pot, but I’d have a hard time telling a difference between the two.I think I know what my next trip to Buz & Ned’s will include. The pulled pork was good, but it’s time to move on to the big leagues. I’m ready to have my own Man vs. Food experience with their famous ribs. And I’ll be sure to leave room for some of that macaroni & cheese.

Menu

Instagram

About

From Ballparks to BBQ is a blog that focuses on food, sports, and travel. Whether it's a restaurant review, game preview, or what to do in a city, I'm here to offer my thoughts and suggestions. Learn more >

Disclaimer: The views and opinions of this site are entirely my own and are not representative of any company or organization.